Hamels Wills Phillies To Victory Over Braves

There was a baseball game in Philadelphia tonight, but it was in name only. For, you see, it was less a game than a one-man pitching showcase, headlined by Cole Hamels and his nine shutout innings. His performance willed the Phillies to a victory over the Braves, 3-0, in a game where the runs scored will become a footnote to the deft performance Hamels put on display.

HOME COOKIN’ FOR COLE

– Tonight Cole Hamels reached a career milestone, starting his 100th game at Citizens Bank Park. Incidentally, it was also the first start at home for Hamels since he signed his new $144M deal with the Phillies on July 25. The new deal meant tonight’s game was the first of many to come for Hamels in south Philadelphia. If he can pitch in all of those the way he pitched tonight, he’ll have been worth every penny of that $144M (and possible $164M). Hamels was electrifying from start to finish, throwing a complete game shutout. He’d notch six strikeouts and walk none.

– Hamels relied heavily on his fastball, sometimes throwing it five or six times in a row. The pitch hovered around 92-93 MPH, hit 94 MPH a few times, and was on the corners all night. The Braves would get just five baserunners against Hamels and none of them reached second base.

– It was a vintage performance in every way, and reaffirmed Hamels’s stature around baseball. You got a feeling early on that if the Phillies got a lead, Hamels could hold it. The victory tonight was Hamels’s first at home since June 15. He would be denied no longer. It was Hamels’s first complete game shutout of the year and the fifth of his career.

OFFENSE DOES ENOUGH

–Mike Minor hasn’t been great this season, but he did pitch very well against the Phillies last time he faced them, throwing eight innings of shutout baseball a mere ten days ago. Tonight, he’d once again keep the Phils at bay, except for one hiccup. Minor was off early, and the Phils took advantage. Jimmy Rollins and Domonic Brownstarted the first with back-to-back doubles to make it 1-0. After a Chase Utley fly out, Ryan Howard padded the Phillies lead when he crushed a towering two-run home run to left center field. From there, Minor would settle in. But with the way Hamels was throwing, it wouldn’t matter.

ANOTHER DOM BROWN UPDATE

– Brown was a big part of the action tonight, driving in the first run and scoring the second. He’d also record his second outfield assist when he gunned down Brian McCann to end the fifth.

– But he wasn’t perfect. On his double, he only reached second base safely because Martin Prado couldn’t handle the throw from the outfield. Then he failed to go back and tag on Utley’s fly ball with no outs. There’s nothing wrong with showing a little aggressiveness, but Brown needs to keep it going through the inning. His failure to tag didn’t cost the team a run this time–because Howard homered–but you’d still like to see a player with Brown’s speed make the fundamental play and get to third with one out. Hopefully he takes something away from that.

– Still, Brown has looked very solid through his first week. He no longer wears the deer-in-headlights expression he had through 2010 and ’11. All the talk has been about how confident he is, and you can see it on the field. There’s a lot of room for growth, but Brown has handled his third stint in the majors with much more poise and adeptness than he had the first two times around. So far.

Willed them to victory? I call it “pitching a shutout, baby”. Its not like he dragged his teammates across the goal line or scored 23 in the 4th quarter. His wil had nothing to do with the other players. Picky enough? Go Phils. Starting to like Dom a smidge.

Me too, Dipsy….concerning D Brown. I REALLY want him to make a believer out of me….again. I know I’m eating my words here but maybe it IS fair to say that he’s been mis-handled and poorly developed by the organization up to this point. Good they hopefully caught it now while he’s still young. Time will tell….but time’s running out, too.

First aren’t we glad oswalt did not comeback. They are not happy
With Roy. To the pen goes. Figgons yea we wanted him. Seattle
Will eat 10 million to cut him. The dodgers offered us players on
That claim. Are we crazy. Lee is done. Good to see shane not
Hitting. Pence had one good game so far.

If Adam Dunn were to be acquired by the Phillies today, he would be battling Utley for the title of best (non-DL) hitter on the team. Assuming you have a spot to play him, I don’t see why anyone would pass on that.

I agree about Brown, and have been pretty Critical of him in the past. What has changed my mind a bit is, it seems like to that he has listened and changed some of his approach at the plate. He always had a pretty good eye and plate discpline, but his hands are lower, and closer to his body, and the real big leg kick is gone. So for me it says he is maturing and listening to his coaches more. His arm was never in question, but his route to fly balls was, and he seems to be picking the ball up pretty good off the bat, a few misteps so far defensivly but I think an improvment over last year when he was up with the Phillies.
Still, do not like his lack of Baseball IQ, you have to tag on the fly ball, if it is over his head and you are standing on second with his speed you still score, if he catches it then you can walk to 3rd. But saying that, I think he can learn that he has a month and a half to prove it.
On a unrelated note, the sell out streak is over, and it once again is a sign somewhat typical Philadelphia fan approach to there teams.
Has this team underperformed? Yes, Have the Seemed somewhat unenthused at points? Yes. But they have a 2-3 month bad spell with their 3-4 hitters out Ace missing significant
time, their up and coming 3-4 pitcher haveing bone spurs in his elbow. No 3rd baseman for half a year and a few all stars underperforming, and the fans bail, I could see if this was the second year in a row where they played bad baseball, but one off Spring/Summer and now people stop going to the ball park. I just do not get it. I live in VT and have a Sunday Season Ticket package, which is 13 games. I drive down on Saturday morning (6.5 hours) and drive home Sunday after the game and go to work on Monday. Do I do that 13 times no some times I have to work on Sundays, but I buy extra tickets for some Saturdays or Vacation time, I made that trip 8-9 times a year for the last 5 years more during the

the playoffs, and I will do again this year. This team did frustrate me a lot this year but it does not mean I do not love going to the games. And enjoying games like last Sunday and Last night. Have a little faith and enjoy the greatest game in the world at a great ball park. And really on of the less expensive tickets you can get, I have traveled around to different places to see games, and with the exception of Washington 5 years ago against Baltimore there are not many stadiuims where you can get first or second level seats for what it coast at The Bank. I have great seats, yes there are in the 417, but face value $25(Sunday package I pay $23) and I have had playoff seats and other game seats all over the stadium and with the exception of sitting in the Diamond Club once(Thanks to my Sister’s job) I can not say there is a much better seat in the place. And now that all the ticket brokers are running for the hills and the bandwagon only go to games when they are in first place season ticket holders I am sure game day you can get under face value for some seats. I just do not get it, go to the game and support your team through there struggles you will appreciate the mountain top much more

On most nights from here on out you’ll be able to get great seats at 40-60% below face value. I work with a few people who bought full season plans as some sort of profit making “investment”. For the past few seasons they were able to choose a few games to go to themselves and then flip the remainder on StubHub. They claimed to have made enough on the seats that they sold to pay for their entire season plan. They haven’t been happy people this summer. It’s just simple supply and demand.